Shakti Energy: The Feminine Force of the Universe Explained

It is unclear exactly when Shakti first developed, but one of the first written mentions was about 3,500 hundred years ago in the Rigvedas, however, there may have been physical representations dating back as far as 9000 BCE of a triangle form thought to symbolize a vulva. It can be argued that this was worshipped as a yantra, or mystical diagram.

It has been claimed by scholars that this is in fact a symbol of the female goddess. Despite being worshipped for such a long time, the full scale development of Shaktism did not take place until Medieval times and now how grown to have an extremely large following.

The physical manifestation of Shakti, the goddess Shakti, sometimes called Adi Parashakti, is the basis of one of the main sects of the Hindu Religion, Shaktism. It is especially popular in the North-eastern Indian states of Assam and Bengal. In general, all feminine deities are considered various incarnations of Shakti, or she’s simply called Devi, or goddess.

Women in Hindu culture are often thought to be human manifestations of this power. Therefore, it can be argued that this gives women a certain level of respect in cultures that have a deep focus on this belief. This could be argued as one of the reasons why women may hold a high status in Indian culture. Even in ancient times, there were female priests and philosophers and it is argued that this comes directly from the idea of femininity being a form of power.

In one of its forms, kundalini energy or serpent energy, it lays coiled around the base of our spine. Through different yogas, meditations, exercises, mantra, and breathing exercises, this energy can be unleashed and pulled up through our sushumna channels and brought to its peak at the crown chakra (sahasrara). Once this happens, one often finds themselves in a very pleasurable state called samadhi, where one can let go of their ego and reach full awareness of their true selves. From this point, one can bring their consciousness to other planes connected to the different chakras.

There are some claims that people can use kundalini energy to achieve mystical superhuman powers, but these may just be exaggerations. The most compelling use of this energy is for healing. Though many new age types are exalting its powers to heal a wide variety of ailments, there have been some legitimate studies that show that kundalini energy can be helpful in the treatment of addictions and for breaking bad habits. It is unclear from the studies how much of this effect is specifically due to this energy or just a meditation or yoga routine in general, it still remains a fascinating area of future study.

In general, Shakti energy is thought to be a path to true consciousness.There are different ways to harness the power of this energy.

One is alternate nostril breathing or nadi shodhana. The basic method is to sit comfortably on the ground and to breath in and out through alternate nostrils, using the thumb of the right hand to close the right nostril and the index and middle fingers of the same hand to close the left nostril. This method is thought to induce relaxation, stimulate energy in the root chakra and third eye chakras, and increase awareness.

It is argued that a loss of Shakti energy can manifest itself as illness, stress, or a general feeling of being drained. Therefore, it’s important to find activities that maintain one’s Shakti energy, such as having alone time, seeking out silent moments, and spending time in nature.

Like many Eastern traditions, especially from the Indian sub-continent, this concept has been adopted into numerous new age philosophies. Some believe that our bodies, minds, and spirit are all connected though 18 pathways called the Shakti Circuit. Opening this can be empowering and liberating and can cause one to develop similar feelings as described above.

The use of Shakti energy is not limited to India or new age thinkers. A lot of Hindu thoughts became exported to the West Indies and Caribbean through trading lanes. Shakti temples exist on many of the islands and they can be of sizes ranging from just shacks to more elaborate buildings. An intermediary will channel the energy of the goddess through them and transmit it to those in need of healing. Such practices can include brushing the patients with neem fronds. They are also encouraged to give confession and afterwards receive advice on how to proceed with full devotion. Even spectators have been known to receive secondary power from the rituals that can be seen as quite cathartic.